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Asbestos & Mold Abatement & Remediation
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Molds are a part of the natural environment and function to break down dead
organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Molds also grow indoors
and there are steps you should take to avoid the growth of molds in your
home. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores. The spores are invisible to
the naked eye and float through the outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin
growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are
many types of mold and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

2. Is mold dangerous?

Mold is usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or
damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health
problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic
reactions), irritants and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in
sensitive individuals.

3. What are the common reactions to mold?

Allergic reactions include hay fever-type symptoms, such as:

Sneezing
Runny Nose
Red Eyes
Skin Rash

Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed.
Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic
to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose,
throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.

4. What's "toxic" mold?

According to the National Center for Environmental Health, the term "toxic
mold" is not accurate. While certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can
produce toxins (specifically mycotoxins), the molds themselves are not toxic
or poisonous. Hazards presented by molds that produce mycotoxins should be
considered the same as other common molds, which can grow in your house.
There is always a little mold everywhere in the air and on many surfaces.
There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause
unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory
loss.

5. How do molds get in the indoor environment and how do they grow?

Mold spores occur in the indoor and outdoor environments. Molds spores may
enter your house from the outside through open doorways, windows and
heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with outdoor air intakes.
Spores on the air outside also attach themselves to people and animals,
making clothing, shoes, bags, and pets' convenient vehicles for carrying
mold indoors. When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive
moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls,
plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow.

6. How do you get the molds out of buildings, homes, schools, and
places of employment?

In most case mold can be removed from hard surfaces by a thorough cleaning
with commercial products, soap and water, or a weak bleach solution (1 cup
of bleach in 1 gallon of water). Absorbent or porous materials like ceiling
tiles, drywall, and carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy.
If you have an extensive amount of mold and you do not think you can manage
the cleanup on your own, you may want to contact a professional who has
experience in cleaning mold in buildings and in homes. It is important to
properly clean and dry the area as you can still have an allergic reaction
to parts of the dead mold and mold contamination may recur if there is still
a source of moisture.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring family of fibrous mineral substance. The
typical size of asbestos fibers is not generally visible to the human eye.
When disturbed, asbestos fibers may become suspended in the air for many
days, thus increasing the extent of asbestos exposure for individuals within
the area.

EPA regulations identify the following types of asbestos: chrysotile,
amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, actinolite, and tremolite.
Approximately 95 percent of all asbestos used in commercial products is
chrysotile.

Asbestos became a popular commercial product because it is non-combustible,
resistant to corrosion, has a high tensile strength, and a low electrical
conductivity. However, asbestos had very little use until the early 1900s,
when it was employed as thermal insulation for steam engines. Since then,
asbestos fibers have been mixed with various types of binding materials to
create an estimated 3,000 different commercial products.